The Surprising Benefits Of Pneumatic Tubes For The Retail Industry

When we think of pneumatic tubes, many of us will have an image of old-fashioned banks or hospitals, but they are now extremely powerful tools in modern retail settings. This is because pneumatic tube systems can deliver real, measurable benefits for retailers in speed, security and efficiency.

In this article, Aerocom explain what pneumatic tubes are, how they can benefit retail businesses, and what retailers should think about before adopting them.

What are pneumatic tubes?

Pneumatic tube systems are networks of tubes which propel cylindrical containers called carriers using air pressure or vacuum systems. The low-pressure system is used to pull or push the carriers through the tubes and modern systems will often include computer-controlled switches and RFID transponders to track each one. This is an incredibly efficient system as some speeds can reach up to 8 metres per second.

The carriers themselves are designed to be secure and are often sealed to avoid leaking, damage or contamination. Some systems have been made specifically to carry cash in retail settings.

The tubes can be installed discreetly within walls, ceilings or under floors. The systems can be one-way, such as from a till to a safe, or two-way for the supply of change or documents.

Benefits of pneumatic tubes for the retail industry

Pneumatic tubes are often used to speed up transactions and reduce waiting times as they can reduce the time it takes to move cash, receipts or small items from tills to the back office or safe. During peak hours, this means that cashiers are not required to leave their till as they can just drop the capsule into the tube and continue serving.

This can also be effective from a loss prevention perspective as many systems will provide an audit trail, such as a timestamp or carrier tracking, to ensure that every cash move is recorded.

It is also effective at improving efficiency and staff productivity, as it allows them to stay focused on customers. It also means that staff are freed up from repetitive non-customer facing tasks which creates more time for service, upselling or helping on the shop floor.

Cash runs can also be reduced, as fewer manual trips to the cash office are needed, which also requires fewer security escorts.

The continuous automated transfer allows for smoother cash flow, so instead of it building up at tills which can create risk, the system moves it away as part of normal operations. For retailers, this aids in labour cost savings as there is less time spent by employees on cash logistics.

Pneumatic tubes have been found to reduce the risk of theft as there are fewer opportunities for cash to be exposed during manual transport. This means it can also help with employee safety as staff are not required to carry large amounts of cash across a store or to a back room. By minimising the ‘float’ in tills, there is also a reduced risk of robbery or internal theft.

A pneumatic tube system can provide strong traceability, as many systems use software that logs every transaction, carrier, and send and receive point to give managers a clear audit trail. It also means that businesses can reduce their reliance on security staff or escorts to move cash, which both lowers costs and risks.

Tube systems can now be integrated into existing store architecture without needing a large visible infrastructure. As the carriers are fully enclosed, the system does not need large carts or trolleys that take up space and centralised cash offices or vaults can be placed at more optimal locations. This plays a part in significant space saving measures which can save businesses huge amounts of money.

The cost savings of a pneumatic tube system add up significantly over time. Although there is the initial installation cost to take into consideration, the pneumatic tube systems can pay for themselves very quickly through lower staff costs, fewer cash handling mistakes and reduced shrinkage. As these modern systems are well-engineered, with regular servicing there can be very reliable and so maintenance costs tend to be lower.

Pneumatic tube systems can also improve the customer experience through faster checkouts and reduced waiting times. There is often less disruption on the shop floor as staff are not needed to move cash, and real-time handling can improve responsiveness. There is also the potential for some novelty use, as some department stores are using pneumatic tubes to send small purchases as part of the customer experience.

What to consider before installing pneumatic tubes

It is important to think carefully about the capital cost of pneumatic tube systems as the installation of the network control units, carriers, air pumps or vacuum systems can add up. The cost will vary depending on the size of the store, number of tills, layout and how complex the network needs to be, so you should do a cost-benefit analysis to work out how it will balance against projected savings.

Maintenance will also be required to avoid blockages, the wear of seals and any mechanical faults, and if a tube segment fails then cash transport is interrupted and there is a potential risk of downtime.

It is also important to remember that these systems have size and weight constraints, so large or heavy items may not be feasible. There can also be some scalability challenges as once installed, reconfiguring the network can be a costly and complex process.

Energy consumption should also be a factor that is considered as these pneumatic systems may consume significant amounts of power.

Pneumatic tube systems play an important role in enhancing the security of a business, but if this network has been poorly designed there may still be vulnerabilities if the carriers or access points are not secure. This means businesses will need to conduct robust audits and tracking to make sure everything has been covered.

Employees will also need training on how to use the system properly to avoid any handling errors. There may be some resistance if you are changing from traditional cash handling workflows and so managers need to build staff buy-in.

Pneumatic tube systems offer a compelling combination of speed, security, efficiency, and customer experience benefits for retail. For the right operation, pneumatic tube systems can deliver significant ROI, so retailers should consult with specialist providers to create a system that works for them.